Lucknow: A five-day religious ritual at a house in Uttar Pradesh’s Azamgarh turned into a shooting on Tuesday (September 22) evening after police said Arvind Singh opened fire during an argument with two priests. His wife Babita Singh and the two priests, Mahendra Pathak and Akhilesh Mishra, were killed in the firing.
Because relatives had noticed changes in Singh’s behaviour, the police said the family had arranged the puja. The Hindustan Times reported that the family had also been worried about his drinking and behaviour.
Officers found the accused’s son injured by a bullet and said he then opened fire at the police team. Some family members told investigators they believed he was under the influence of an evil spirit. The police said he demanded to see their Aadhaar cards.
Singh then locked himself inside a room with his three children and refused repeated appeals to surrender. The standoff lasted nearly seven hours. A gunshot from inside the room finally prompted the police to break open the door. The man was shot in the retaliatory firing and later died in hospital. His son also died. The two other children were rescued. The incident took place in Shambhupur village under the Ahraula police station area. The police operation involved a team of senior officers, the Special Operations Group and Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) commandos. The claim about any supernatural influence has not been independently established. Singh allegedly questioned the priests about who they were and why they had come to his house. An argument followed.
Singh returned home from the market around 6 pm while the religious ceremony was underway, according to the police.
A third priest managed to escape from the house, according to the police. Quoting relatives, The Indian Express said the priests had begun recording the confrontation on their mobile phones. His wife was also shot when she intervened, the police and relatives said. The man repeatedly refused to come out and threatened to shoot the children if anyone entered, according to the police. ADG Varanasi Zone Naveen Arora said the negotiations went on for around seven hours. He was not ready to come out of the house and leave the children outside,” he said. Azamgarh SSP Anil Kumar said officers had decided they would enter if Singh tried to harm the children. The police said the man then fired at the officers.
The ritual had been organised by his family and was in its fourth day. The two priests were identified as Mahendra Pathak and Akhilesh Mishra. Singh allegedly went in, took out his licensed revolver and opened fire. The three injured people were rushed to a hospital, where they were declared dead. After the firing, Singh took his three children into a room and locked the door from inside. The police surrounded the house and tried to persuade him to surrender. Relatives were also brought in to speak to him. Senior officers tried to convince him that he and the children would be safe if he opened the door. The police even offered to send food and milk for the children during the standoff. “We tried all possible efforts. The police had also brought an ATS commando team from Varanasi. They surrounded the house while officers continued trying to negotiate with Singh. The commandos were called for the operation but did not initially enter the room. The situation changed after the police heard a gunshot from inside the locked room. The SSP, an SOG officer and a constable broke open the door and entered the room. They found Singh with the revolver and his son injured by a gunshot. The police team fired back, injuring him. Singh and his son were taken to hospital. Both later died. His two daughters were rescued safely.
The surviving children include a 10-year-old girl and a younger daughter. The Indian Express reported that the elder daughter was present during the incident and later gave a description of the shooting to people around her. The Times of India reported that the weapon had earlier belonged to Singh’s brother and was transferred to him after his brother’s death.
Himanshu Mishra, the son of priest Akhilesh Mishra, said the ritual was supposed to continue for five days and had completed three days without an incident. He said Singh arrived while the priests were preparing to finish the day’s prayers and began asking who they were and how they had entered the house. He said the man first picked up a stick and attacked them. Himanshu said his father was shot in the head and another priest was also hit. Villagers told The Times of India that Singh had become withdrawn in recent months. He had worked at a poultry farm and in agriculture, but residents said he had stopped engaging with much of the village community. They also said his behaviour had changed after the death of his brother Sunil Singh. The police have also said he was receiving treatment. Additional Superintendent of Police Chirag Jain said that villagers had described him as increasingly irritable and involved in frequent arguments.
The police are expected to examine her description as part of the investigation. When family members tried to intervene, he allegedly took out a firearm and opened fire. He escaped by jumping over a wall. The police are also examining the statement of the surviving child and statements from relatives and villagers who were present around the house. The licensed revolver allegedly used in the shooting was also seized by the police. The police have registered separate FIRs relating to the shooting and the encounter.
A priest who escaped the house gave investigators a description of the moments before the shooting. Investigators are examining Singh’s background and his behaviour in the period before the shooting. That description is being examined as part of the investigation into his behaviour before the incident. Forensic teams examined the house and collected evidence before the bodies were sent for post-mortem examination.
